Memory cards are known in the art and contain intelligence in the form of a memory circuit or other electronic program. Some form of card reader reads the information or memory stored on the card. Such cards are used in many applications in today's electronic society, including video cameras, smartphones, music players, ATMs, cable television decoders, toys, games, PC adapters and other electronic applications. Typically, a memory card includes a contact or terminal array for connection through a card connector to a card reader system and then to external equipment. The connector readily accommodates insertion and removal of the card to provide quick access to the information and program on the card. The card connector includes terminals for yieldingly engaging the contact array of the memory card. Ejecting devices often are provided for facilitating inserting and ejecting the memory card to and from the card connector.
Card connectors of this type are disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. Hei. 1-75983, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. Hei. 1-150387 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei. 11-135192.
One of the problems with such memory card connectors involves protecting the terminals of a connector in the event that a memory card is inserted in an incorrect or abnormal orientation. In other words, the contact or terminal array on the memory card typically is located along a front or leading edge of the card and on one side of the card, such as the bottom side of the card. The contacts may be located in recessed areas along the bottom front edge of the card. Of course, a correct or normal orientation of an inserted card has the contacts at the front bottom edge of the card. If the card is reversed in a backward or abnormal orientation, and the rear end of the card is inserted into the card connector, the terminals may be damaged or buckled because the rear end of the card is not provided with terminal recesses. Stop means may be provided on the connector housing to prevent such abnormal insertion of the memory card, but such stop means often can be overridden with excessive insertion forces. The present invention is direction to solving these problems with a new and improved terminal protection system in such card connectors.